Thursday, December 29, 2005

Texas National Guardsman says "Thank You"

Yesterday I got a - Thank You - note from a wounded Texas National Guard soldier.

Hi, my name is SSG Oliver B.,

assigned at FOB Speicher in Iraq. I am a National Guardsman from Houston, Texas and I am one of the recepient of your kindness and support. We thank you so much for all your gifts and prayers. It is always a great honor to serve this country and we thank you for giving your support for what we've been fighting for.

In Memory of Major Ahmed Jamil

Although I have a lot of Good news abut the elections, I will share that with you in a near future day. In this e-mail, I wish to share something with you that is weighing very heavy on my heart.

I found out hours ago that Major Jamil was killed by an IED, a few miles north of here. As you will recall from my e-mails to you all, during the big operation in Sarai in September (Operation Restoring Rights), Jamil and I became very close and bonded, as though we knew each other for a lifetime.

I very much admired, respected and and treasured this warrior's company and for the love for his country, Kurdistan. He told me, during one of our many conversations over dinner, that he and his men came to fight in Tall'afar, so the insurgents would never enter his homeland. He wanted to see his son grow up without violence, killings or ever seeing a gun.

His son was four months old when I met Jamil in September, I only hope and pray that his son will come to know one day, what a great sacrifice his father made, as well as what a great leader he was, brave, courages and beloved and respected by the men he led.

Jamil and I often worked on missions together...What makes his death even more tragic, is the fact that he had just returned from his home, where he went to mourn and bury his brother, sister and his nephews, all killed in a car accident.

I do not know how his parents are facing all of these deaths? I know that when I heard about my friend Jamil, I had to go away from everyone and be by myself. And be alone as I cried and mourned over my fallen friend and comrade.

We promised each other, that one day we would meet up after the war, in Kurdistan, where he was going to open his home to me and my family. In his phone he had placed a photo our phot and he was saving it, till I would come to Kurdistan and we could take a new one together.

I have a great many photos of him (two of which I am sharing with you), as well as many gifts that I was bringing to him, the next time I was supposed to see him. God willing, I will be able to visit Kurdistan and pass them along to his wife and his young son.

Please remember his family in your prayers, and remember, that there are many here, besides us Americans,who have also left the safety and security of their families and friends, to sacrifice for their futures.

I share his sacrifice with you, because he was my friend, because I had shared with you about our work together during the Sari operation, and because his death and sacrifice will not be broadcast on CNN. His sacrifice is not something that woud go well with all of the bias that is propogated about this place and this war. But I believe his sacrifice should be shared, as a testimony to his courage, his strength of character and his convictions. And because he was my friend, and someone I loved and cared for, as did he for me.

There is no greater love than a man laying down his life for his friends. - John 15:12-13

OPERATION SLEIGH RIDE — A U.S. soldier assigned to the 173rd Airborne Infantry runs to meet a incoming CH-47 Chinook as it brings Christmas Eve mail to a forward operating base in Afghanistan during Operation Sleigh Ride, an effort to deliver holiday mail to troops at forward operating bases there. U.S. Army photo by Cpl. John Chriswell